More than 300 Oklahoma public school superintendents have resigned since 2006

More than 300 public school district superintendents have resigned since 2006, state Education Department records show. Another 218 have retired or been fired during that same time.

Derald Glover Fort Gibson Public Schools superintendent

Records show that smaller districts have been particularly hard hit by these exiting administrators.

Between 2006 and 2011, state Education Department records show that 312 district superintendents resigned from their jobs. So far this year, five have resigned, although the bulk of the resignations typically come later in the school year.

2008 was peak year

The peak came in 2008, when 75 left via resignation. Only 35 resigned in 2006.

Between 2007 and 2011 — with exception of the high-water mark in 2008 — between 49 and 53 superintendents resigned.

Why so many superintendents are leaving depends on who you ask.

Tricia Pemberton, a spokeswoman for the state Education Department, said trends in resignations, retirements and terminations among Oklahoma superintendents typically fluctuate from year to year and depend largely on the local district's school board or community.

Derald Glover, longtime Fort Gibson Public Schools superintendent, said local issues play a part in what he called “an exodus” of school administrators, but believes there's a stronger force behind the resignations, retirements and firings.

Glover, a third-generation school superintendent, is chairman of the Cooperative Council for Oklahoma School Administration and a past president of the Oklahoma Association of School Administrators.

“There are always local challenges in schools, and different dynamics can cause a superintendent or educator to leave. Those have always been there,” Glover said. “I think now there are more state and federal challenges being placed on educators, in general, than ever before.”

Glover pointed to reforms undertaken by state schools Superintendent Janet Barresi, which include a letter grade system for individual schools.

“We have a lot of reform being pressed down on us all at once,” Glover said. “It is extremely difficult to manage the day-to-day local functions and local visions of the school when you have reform measures piled on very heavily.

MORE FROM NEWSOK

Andrew Knittle has covered state water issues, tribal concerns and major criminal proceedings during his career as an Oklahoma journalist. He has won reporting awards from the state's Associated Press bureau and prides himself on finding a real...